After a wave of public backlash, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has reversed its earlier directive calling for a three-day fasting and prayer campaign to address Nigeria’s worsening food crisis. The initial decision, contained in a circular dated June 11, urged staff to fast and participate in prayer sessions across three consecutive Mondays—June 16, 23, and 30—seeking “divine intervention” to rescue the country from widespread food insecurity.
Though the reversal offers some relief, the original policy raised widespread concern. In the face of a national hunger emergency, Nigerians had expected practical strategies, not spiritual rituals. Instead, the ministry’s call for fasting projected a worrying disconnection from scientific solutions and governance responsibilities.
Hunger Is Not a Spiritual Crisis—It’s a Governance Failure
At a time when millions of citizens can no longer afford basic meals, leadership must demonstrate competence and urgency—not resort to symbolism. The decision to seek divine help instead of tangible policy action reflects a failure to comprehend the depth and urgency of the food crisis.
Food insecurity in Nigeria is not a spiritual affliction; it is the result of years of policy neglect, infrastructural decay, insecurity, and poor planning. According to the World Bank, over 25 million Nigerians faced acute food shortages in 2024. In many states, the prices of staple items such as rice, beans, garri, and yam have tripled, pushing many families into extreme poverty.
Tractors from Belarus: A Step in the Right Direction
While the fasting directive drew ridicule, President Bola Tinubu’s recent commissioning of 2,000 tractors from Belarus signals a more pragmatic approach to agricultural reform. Mechanisation remains one of the most effective ways to improve productivity in the sector. By deploying modern equipment and reducing dependence on outdated tools, Nigeria can expand cultivation and reduce post-harvest losses.
However, such initiatives must form part of a broader, strategic plan involving land access, irrigation, research, and financing. Without a comprehensive framework, one-off gestures like tractor acquisitions may only yield temporary benefits.
Nigeria’s Rich Agricultural Potential Remains Underutilized
Despite possessing vast arable land, favourable weather, and a large workforce, Nigeria still struggles to feed its population. The core issue lies not in a lack of resources but in the failure to translate potential into output. A large portion of farmland remains underutilised due to insecurity, weak investment, and poor infrastructure.
Post-harvest losses are staggering. Due to inadequate storage, poor roads, and limited access to cold-chain logistics, up to 40% of all food produced is lost, amounting to an estimated $9 billion annually. Meanwhile, fertiliser distribution remains plagued by corruption and inefficiency. Farmers are either unable to access inputs or receive them too late in the planting season.
Security Breakdown Threatens Food Production
Worse still, rural insecurity has turned many agricultural belts into war zones. Armed herders, kidnappers, and bandits continue to terrorise farmers across the North and Middle Belt regions. In states like Benue, Kaduna, Plateau, Zamfara, and Katsina, thousands of farmers have fled their lands for fear of being killed, maimed, or extorted.
According to a 2023 report by SBM Intelligence, over 60% of farmers in Northern Nigeria have abandoned their fields due to persistent violence. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also confirmed that more than 3,000 farming communities have been displaced in just two years. This collapse in agricultural productivity inevitably worsens food shortages and drives inflation higher.
Food Imports and Soaring Inflation Undermine National Stability
Nigeria now spends an estimated $2.5 billion annually on food imports, despite its vast agricultural resources. This heavy reliance on external supplies exposes the country to global price shocks and foreign exchange volatility. Meanwhile, food inflation surged past 40% in May, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The cost of living has skyrocketed, and many families now skip meals or consume nutritionally deficient diets.
Hospitals are witnessing increased cases of child malnutrition, anaemia, and stunted growth. The health consequences of food insecurity are severe and long-lasting, affecting cognitive development, school attendance, and overall productivity.
Misplaced Priorities Reflect a Broader Governance Crisis
The call for fasting instead of deploying evidence-based agricultural policies highlights a deeper governance problem. Rather than investing in irrigation, storage infrastructure, mechanisation, or farm security, the ministry resorted to spiritual symbolism. While prayer may offer comfort, it cannot replace strategic planning or effective leadership.
Israel offers a compelling counterexample. Despite harsh desert conditions, the country has become a global leader in agricultural innovation. Through sustained investment in drip irrigation, desalination, greenhouses, and scientific research, Israel has achieved food self-sufficiency and even exports produce. Its success stems not from divine intervention, but from strategic vision and technology.
What Nigeria Must Do Now
To address food insecurity, Nigeria must commit to long-term reforms rooted in data and science. Here are five key policy actions:
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Expand Irrigation Systems
Rain-fed agriculture is increasingly unreliable due to climate change. Nigeria must invest in small- and large-scale irrigation to enable year-round farming. -
Secure Farmlands
Deploy rural security outfits, leverage community policing, and adopt drone surveillance to protect farmers from attacks. -
Support Farmers Through Extension Services
Local governments should employ trained agricultural officers to provide farmers with technical guidance, monitor yields, and advise on climate-smart practices. -
Improve Rural Infrastructure
Build and maintain roads to link farms to markets. Invest in cold-chain logistics to reduce post-harvest losses. -
Reform Fertiliser and Input Distribution
Use digital platforms to ensure transparency and direct delivery of inputs to genuine farmers.
Nigeria Cannot Afford Magical Thinking
The scale of Nigeria’s food crisis requires bold, coordinated action across all levels of government. Anything short of a robust response will deepen poverty, increase malnutrition, and threaten social stability. While the fasting directive has been withdrawn, it exposed a lack of seriousness in tackling a crisis that affects every household.
The focus now must be on real solutions—financing agriculture, protecting farmers, scaling technology, and investing in infrastructure. Leaders must resist the urge to outsource their responsibilities to prayer. The answers lie not in rituals, but in policy, science, and resolve.
